The Military's Showdown Over PTSD

Battle Between The Old School And New School Methods For Handling Troops' Mental Health

(CBS)  Twenty-two year old combat medic Jonathan Norrell volunteered for every mission during his year in Iraq.

He was bombed, ambushed, treating wounded under fire - and the memories still haunt him, CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier reports.

"The things that affected me the most weren't the IEDs, which I went through six or seven of, and all the firefights, and all the combat," Norrell said. "It was the psychological stuff, the people I failed to help."

By the time he came off his tour of duty he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: anxiety, sleeplessness, flashbacks. Military doctors recommended immediate discharge and treatment but the command refused.

Instead they forced him into combat training exercises. He turned to drugs and alcohol.

"I just lost it," Norrell said. "I didn't wanna do it anymore."

So the Army he served so well in Iraq threatened to expel him without medical benefits.

Norrell's case reveals the showdown inside the military, between the new school and old school view on how to handle PTSD - one of the signature injuries of the Afghan and Iraq wars.

And experts warn there's a storm coming: a generation of soldiers coming home with PTSD.

A new study estimates that roughly one in five U.S. troops is suffering from major depression or post-traumatic stress from serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and an equal number have suffered brain injuries.

CBS News has been given documents showing more than 100,000 vets of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are seeking help for mental health disorders.

Norrell decided to fight back by reaching out to veteran's groups and advocates like Carissa Picard of Military Spouses for Change. Picard's husband leaves for Iraq in June.

"Our soldiers didn't choose to wage this war; they didn't choose to go to Iraq or Afghanistan," she said. "We've sent them there. We need to take responsibility for what happens to them."

Norrell's struggle for help took months of meetings, phone calls, e-mails, lobbying Congressmen and the top levels of the Pentagon before she finally got help at Fort Hood.

We asked the man in charge there why it took so long.

"The field commander recognizes the soldier has a problem, and they request the soldier to be transferred to the warrior transition unit," said Col. Casper P. Jones III.

Dozier said: "That sounds great, but we know in this situation, for several months, it didn't happen."

"It didn't happen," Jones said. "I think there are lessons from this case that can help us all as we move forward."

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FYI: Warning Signs, Symptoms and How To Find Help for PTSD

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CBS News has learned that top Pentagon officials have made visits to bases across the country. They're telling Army commanders to take their doctors' diagnoses more seriously, and get the troops treatment.

Norrell hopes that by speaking out, other troops won't have to fight so hard to get the help they need.

"Hopefully what happened to me won't happen to any more soldiers," he said.

[quickdraw171]

i feel sorry for the ptsd people from iraq. but it took me over 17 years to get mine. i spent almost 2 tours in vietnam saw stuff you can''t even talk about finally after going to the va filling claims i found a va rep that helped me get some help.so if they don''t get help in a couple of months i can''t feel sorry for them.

[bb19631]

The military needs to get off their dead ***** and help these soldiers. The chain of commands makes me sick. If it''s not physical, they don''t want to hear it. Physical or mental these soldiers need the help immediately. These soldiers went to war no questions asked. Now after the tour is done- their questions need to be addressed. Listen, you might learn something. PTSD is not a cop out, it''s real.

[cyberus-2009]

Funny thing is .. I''d be willing to bet that most of the commanders that shrug off doctors recommendations, toss soldiers that need help back into the grinder are the ones that have never actually in real combat (actually being in danger) as opposed to sitting behind the lines in armored vehicles and bunkers just close enough to get their combat medal. Vietnam flyovers anyone?

[rebelscout]

Bush and his gang probably would like to use the Patton style of helping PTSD soldiers.

[swwils]

I have been diagnosed with PTSD,and it sucks,night sweats the bad dreams,and sometimes I can''t be around people.I take 4 different types of medication,and have modern war classes.I also have Bi-Polar disorder.I feel for anyone who has this ,it becomes unbearable sometimes.Eventually,the government will get a handle on this disease, and that is what it is.Once you have gotten this mental illness it will stay with you forever.

[Syndicate]

PTSD is not fun. I got a mild case of it by being abused by the local sheriff. Every time you see a sheriff you stop what you are doing and go into a hyper vigilance mode. You watch the police cars from the moment you see them to the moment they leave then it takes a while for your heart rate to return to normal. Heaven forbid one stops you. you do not act normal you are suspicious of them and ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

[kansas1946]

We need to get our guys out of there. There is no end in sight to the violence and our soldiers don''t have a clear mission. Bush is no commander in chief. He is a psycopath and this is just the tip of the iceberg of all of the damage he has done to our country and our military. You might as well have put a spoiled three-year-old in charge. The results would not have been any worse.

[ontheleft]

The powers that be want these men to fight their oil war, but they don''t want to take care of them. The job of the pencil pushing federal bureaucrats is to deny as many claims as possible on whatever technicality they can find, then force the soldiers to go through a lengthy and intimidating appeal process. This is how the system is set up and what the bureaucrats are trained to do. If the soldiers jump through a thousand hoops, they might get paid treatment.

[obxdiver]

"...Norrell decided to fight back by reaching out to veteran''s groups and advocates like Carissa Picard of Military Spouses for Change. Picard''s husband leaves for Iraq in June.

"Our soldiers didn''t choose to wage this war; they didn''t choose to go to Iraq or Afghanistan," she said. "We''ve sent them there. We need to take responsibility for what happens to them.""



This is ridiculous. I watched this woman speak earlier, and I was absolutely disgusted. These men and women may not have wanted to go to war - who does? - and they may not get to choose whether they go or not, but they DECIDED by themselves to enlist into the armed forces. There was no draft sending people over against their will. They signed up to live this lifestyle, saying that they will obey the Commander in Chief, protect their country and the country''s freedom. It is possible that when a man or woman signed up, they didnt know there was going to be a war, but again, you agree to do the previous above. My father went to Afghanistan and Iraq back in 2003 and a close family friend has been over 3 times who had been in some of the worst parts of the war. They both did what they had to do and did what they enlisted for, even though they didnt want to leave us behind.
So, to Carissa Picard - get your mind straight and your words before you speak. Your husband CHOSE to do this, dont you dare say he was forced to.

[baileysmom42]

Part 1
Sadly even if you are diagnosed with PTSD there really is no help. At least where we stand. My husband returned from Iraq in November 2003. Not long after I noticed a change. Eventually I ended up contacting the nearest VA to where we live and took him to the emergency room. He then saw not only a psycologist but an actual psychiatrist and was diagnosed with PTSD. The only problem was that the doctor who is the PTSD specialist at this particular VA Medical Center in my opinion is a quack.

[baileysmom42]

Part 2
He hasn''t had an appointment with his doctor in over 2 years and has since quit taking his medication that was prescribed to him because it was making him suicidal and depressed and when he expressed these concerns with the doctor he was told by the doctor that there wasn''t any pill that would make his problem go away. A little over 3 years ago he filed for diaability through the VA and has yet to recieve any benefits. He has called several times and each time is told that it is processing. Due to the PTSD he has had a hard time finding a job and keeping it because of his constant paranoia and agoraphobia. So he stays home and takes care of the house and I work to support our family. Honestly you would think that for our soldiers who risked thier own lives for our freedom would recieve better care and would have a lot less of a hard time in recieving their benefits. While I do understand that there are many many cases that the disabilty office has to go through and approve I do not understand why some soldiers who were in his unit and in Iraq at the same time as he was are already recieving their benefits while we just sit back and wait. I do know however that the VA will pay back for those years past upto the date he first filed but at the same time, we are struggling to make ends meet.

[baileysmom42]

Part 3
How is this just? I know that my husband is not alone and I do wish that more people would speak up in hopes that maybe that it will speed up the process. But in the mean time what are families like ours supposed to do? We are having to live on food stamps and government assisted housing and we feel as if we have come to a dead end. We hope that one day soon we won''t have to depend on these federal agencies but at this point what else are we supposed to do. There is no way with what I am making at my job that we can survive any other way. It has really made me take a different look at the way our government works. It seems to me that it is ok for our men and women to risk thir lives in the name of freedom just so that the government can turn their backs on them in their time of need.

[baileysmom42]

Please start with part 1 on my posting, I had to many characters to post it all at one time and I apologize for it being so lengthy.

[DocD--2008]

"My father went to Afghanistan and Iraq back in 2003 and a close family friend has been over 3 times who had been in some of the worst parts of the war. They both did what they had to do and did what they enlisted for, even though they didnt want to leave us behind."
Posted by OBXdiver

See this is the problem, you know someone who went, you never went yourself, so you have zero clue as to what is happening. I suggest you go enlist yourself, go fight over there, then come back and tell us what it''s like. Trust me your daddy cannot explain it to you, you will never know until you''ve been there.

The problem now is the same as it was for those in Vietnam, the leaders have no clue. We need to put their *** in the thick of it day after day, deployment after deployment before they will, most of them have done not much more than push papers.

[obxdiver]

"See this is the problem, you know someone who went, you never went yourself, so you have zero clue as to what is happening. I suggest you go enlist yourself, go fight over there, then come back and tell us what it''''s like. Trust me your daddy cannot explain it to you, you will never know until you''''ve been there.

The problem now is the same as it was for those in Vietnam, the leaders have no clue. We need to put their *** in the thick of it day after day, deployment after deployment before they will, most of them have done not much more than push papers."



Dont you dare underestimate what I know, what my father has SHOWN and told me. Believe me, I might not have been there, but I have a pretty *** good idea of what it would be like. Mind you, I may be 16, but that doesnt mean Im some mindless, uneducated, careless kid. My father and my mother who have been with the military for over a combined total of 40 years have educated me about this war and everything that goes on it it. I know that I will never know what it will be like to be over there right now, but Im not some *** who thinks they know what theyre talking about.

[porchhound]

OBXdiver..to be honest I really could care less what a 16 yr old kid thinks about the PTSD issue...what has been your most traumatic moment...X BOX failure???Flat tire???..oh wait you don''t drive yet do you??? BUT you want to lecture adults on here about PTSD and service in the military...I am a Vietnam Vet and your opinions just don''t impress me at all..you have NO CLUE about combat, PTSD, or the warrior life...you are not your daddy or your mommy so don''t hitch a ride on their experiences and go on a "grown-up" site to pontificate. You are embarassing yourself.

[obxdiver]

In reply to ''porchhound'':



did I not say I will never know what it would ACTUALLY be like?
Also, I think PTSD is a real issue, I never said it wasn''t. I just felt disgusted at the statement Cassie Picard had made saying that men and women are being forced to be sent over there.
By the way, I do have a driver''s license!

[obxdiver]

porchhound, I hate XBOX and all video games. I dont sit around doing nothing. I''m a photographer and a scuba diver.

[emancipatedm]

Carissa Picard is an amazing woman and advocate. They don''t give the link here, but the organization has a website, www.militaryspousesforchange.com. She has done so much to empower military spouses and raise awareness about the needs of our veterans and families!

They just started a blogging site for raising awareness and encouraging military spouses to speak out as well (AWESOME!): www.milspousepress.com.

She is making all of us SO PROUD.

WAY TO GO, Carissa!!

[xcopper61]

Pg 1. Ok I have read these comments.For the person who made the nasty comment about our President you have no idea what you are talking about.Gee remember 911? I sure do. I watched the towers fall in the state that I will always call home. Try and keep that vision in your mind.Has it happened since? No! Do you know why? Because thank God we have a President with the stones to fight back for a change.How many times did Clinton allow our countries military instillations get attacked. He let a US Naval Ship be bombed. He was tipped off 2 weeks before not to enter that port that something was going to happen and let the Cole go in there anyway.He was to busy lieing to the country in a court of law about Monica and how he didn''t have "sexual relations with that woman" Bold faced caught in a lie, moron.Yet people continue to say how great he is.Who lets a military instillation get attacked and not fight back.He was handed Bin Laden at least 2 times and he refused to take him.He had no legal reason to hold him. And he was a LAWYER that''s scary.Bin Laden was linked to the trade center bombings in 93.Thats enough to hold him for questioning. He admitted to a being involved in the Cole bombing there was more then enough reason to take him.Clinton''s mind was elsewhere.I can go on and on if you wanna debate bring it on. Guaranteed I blow you out of the water...OBX is a 16 year old kid smarter then most of you on here...And thank God for her dad I pray for his saftey as I do for all our soldiers..

[xcopper61]

Pg 2 PTSD is a very real illness and terrible one. But this is a volunteer military and is nothing like Vietnam. These heros in the military went in on their own what did they expect a trip to Disney Land. We are the greatest country in the world join the military and there is a chance there will be a war. The guys/gals that went in after 9/11 are nothing less then amazing. Did you stop to think that if the people of this country showed them the least little gratitude maybe they would fare better in the PTSD arena. And that includes not making derogatory comments about their commander in chief while we are at war...

[xcopper61]

pg 3 I know for a fact that the VA is trying to treat PTSD. Unfortunately it is not a 1, 2, 3 fix. There are new drugs all the time. If the veteran drinks or does drugs while waiting for the PTSD drugs to kick in they won''t work. Alcohol and drugs are an easy fix to quell a bad pain. If you take a PTSD drug, and it doesn''t work you HAVE to tell the doctor so they can try another one. In the meantime you have to be patient and try and bite the bullet so to speak until they can try another one. It is the same with any of us that are sick you have to take command of your health care and demand to be fixed...The VA is trying. Had Clinton not depleted our Army to near nothing we would be able to help these soldiers out easier. Right now we have to have as many on the line as possible and believe it or not just because they have PTSD a lot of them don''t want off the line. WE can''t pull out of this war or we will be fighting it on our soil. I would rather be over there then have to fight it within the states. Look at the stunts the terrorists are pulling over there can you imagine having to live like the Isreali people every day in fear of when the next bomb will go off. Well we pull out guarantee we will be fighting it here.

[xcopper61]

pg 4 And how dare someone tell that child that her father can''t tell her maybe she should go over and fight herself so she knows. She has been seeing her dad off on deployments since she was a baby she has a pretty *** good idea of what it is to be involved in War. It is worse on the family then the loved ones they are saying good-bye to. I have plenty of friends in the military believe me I know. Thank God they have the internet now at least they can communicate more easily. I can go on and on but it''s late...

[navyornurse]

For all out there with an opinion about military service. Below is the oath of enlistment, this is a VOLUNTEER military, no one is forced to enlist or take a commission. If your spouse is an active duty or reserve military member he/she VOLUNTEERED to do what ever is directed by higher authority, not forced.

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

Don''t discount the opinions of todays teenagers, they are more informed than ever before about todays world, especially those of military families. Pourchhound, OBXdivers most traumatic day of her life was probably when her father deployed to WAR, not knowing if she would ever see him again. Did you even consider that? Don''t you think that''s a little traumatic to an elevin year old.

[rudy654-2009]

A know somebody who went to Panama when the other Bush ruled and he said they constantly fired on innocent people everywhere. They fired into their homes and businesses and all. But if that weren''t bad enough, the soldiers had to bury the bodies of all of the civilians for days afterwards. After that, they wanted to send him to Desert Storm, but he was too messed up after that with PTSD and simply couldnt function. All to get a man called Noriega in a third world dirt poor country where they don''t even know what toilet paper is.

[rudy654-2009]

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You can be sure our team will be there in large numbers to fight for an unprepared, divided and deserting Iraqi force. They''ll fight and die as you plan for retirement. You don''t even have to set goals, let alone an exit plan.

Thanks to White House LIfe your easy life begins today.

[apprxam]

Voluntary service is no excuse for unjust,ill-advised war. The trust of the soldier is important too and this betrayal will lead to a draft that will be revolted by all thinking Americans. Funny how the high attrition rate, low recruitment and reduced standards to gain recruits doesn''t strike you as funny. The very thing you''ve tauted as vituous, will be the very thing that''s threatened. For one to volunteer for miltary service, respect for the pursuit of war and by its extention, repect for the servicemen/women is paramount.

Typing the oath of service isn''t proving much of a point, except that you''re okay with blind, thoughtless personnel. Now, just as in Vietnam, the DOD and Va is denying these men their fair deal by, again, claming that these men are feigning sickness.

THese soldiers are at the whim of evil and stupid men who are weak liars and false patroits. The worst kind of patroits that use empty phrases such as "support the troops" and in the same f*ckin'' breathe deny equipment, a sound strategy and the dignity of having their imparements recognize. everytime Cheney and Bush pin a soldier, lay a wreath or chant a hym, the nation should collectively heave and weep.

[apprxam]

9/11=Afghanistan; Saudi Arabia; Osama; Al Qaeda

Oil+Money Israel More greed lies=Iraq (No 9/11)

Xcop....Don''t use 9/11 to justify the war in Iraq. You sound like Rudy and Cheney

[messiahx4eve]

The best terrorists trained todate by the Al Qaeda IS bush and cheney, the two BIGGEST cowardly blenderheads crappy DNA ever produced.

[obxdiver]

Thanks to Xcop and NavyORNurse for your support. Its unbelieveable how much teenagers are underestimated today, when they are one of the nation''s most opionated and educated group of well beings, yet cannot have their voices heard because "they''re too young to know what''s going on" or "they''re just saying that to act like they know what they''re talking about."
clgl_fubar:
''If you do NOT understand that when you raise your hand to take the oath, then you should keep the hand down, and the mouth shut.''
THANK YOU.

and to apprxam:
if no one had stepped in and at least tried to shut down all the terrorists in the Middle East...where do you think we would be today? Peace and quiet? I dont think so. Destruction and chaos seem to be what could have been forshadowed if no action was taken.

[jjp735i]

One line summed up the answer:
"Our soldiers didn''t choose to wage this war; they didn''t choose to go to Iraq or Afghanistan" "We''ve sent them there. We need to take responsibility for what happens to them".

Carissa Picard is right. The government sent them to war on a lie and they stayed because the government told them to. Now they need our govenments help. How un-patriotic can Bush & Friends be? After all the screaming they did how those that did not support the war are, they now want to forget the men & women who served their lie?

[demslie]

(1)"It was the psychological stuff, the people I failed to help."
That%u2019s Democrat code word for I hate Bush.
(2)"24 Year old Medic."
Medics don''t do front combat, they are too valuable.
(3)"Military doctors recommended immediate discharge and treatment but the command refused."
No Command anywhere can over-ride the findings of a military medical review, not even in War-Time.
(4)"Kimberly Dozier reports, the military is doing little to ease their pain." The military is spending Billions on new care facilities and doctors especially psychological professionals.
(5)"So the Army he served so well in Iraq threatened to expel him without medical benefits." That''s a hate George Bush Statement. He was told he could be discharged because of Drug Abuse. Drug use will normally get you kicked out immediately with no recourse. He is one in a million could do drugs and stay active.
(6)Lies, Lies and more Democrat Anti-American Lies. CBS (Communist Broadcast System) did not bother to mention that this Three Year Old "story" is based on information in a legal deposition. The Democrat Trial Lawyers Association is suing the military on this members behalf as they have done in many Anti-War Anti-America cases. I believe that soldiers should get all the care they need. But the truth is, Democrats could not give a DANMNN about the lives of Soldiers. This is just another case of Democrats using people in an attempt to gain advantage for their evil political Agenda.

[johnpatrick9]

A proud Army abused by two draft dodging scumballs: bush and cheney. They have betrayed the patriotism of our soldiers with their lying war and lying jingoism just as Hitler lead Germany to ruin so have these two fascists, corporate toadies lead our Land to ruination and disgrace. Tar and feathering is too good for these traitors-within-the- gates. God Bless our Troops and GOD *** the scum who set them up for defeat.

[baileysmom42]

Yes our men and women did voulenteer for the military service the did not however voulenteer to lose their minds in the process. Put it this way, if you were on your job and got hurt and it caused you not to be able to work anymore would you not expect compensation, did you not volunteer for that job as well. This war in Iraq has nothing to do with 911 sadly afghanastan and ben laden have been put on the back burner for what a mission that is always constantly changing in a country that whe should never have invaded in the first place.

[jegibbons]

This story smells to the HIGH HEAVENS.

CBS once again, is reporting only those facts that spin their story to make it sound as sensational as they possibly can.

1- The VA determines and treats PTSD every day.

2- The Army has no influence over the VA, especially since a soldier must be discharged to qualify for VA healthcare.

3- All medical needs of the discharged veteran are the responsibility of the Veteran''s Administration, a civilian run and managed care system.

4- If a conflict exists, it could be an active duty soldier refusing a duty assignment and is thereby dishonorably discharged. This could jeopardize VA benefits. But in a case like that there are appeals processes. And the VA tends to very lenient with regards mental health issues.

The soldier in this story MUST assume some responsibility for his own mental health issues since he is an admitted abuser of DRUGS & ALCOHOL.
The Bleeding Heart Liberals trust that it is the government''s responsibility to fix everyone of their personal demons.

In other words the entire PREMISE for this STORY IS PURE BUNK!

[jr12866]

Part 1

I just want to say that I am amazed at how many military experts and strategists there are here on this board - especially those that have never served.

I think that the military soldier deserves all of the respect and reverence in the world. He/she sacrifices a lot for freedom. The government should take care of them - but it should be said that the government does have to protect itself from the people that abuse the system, also. This is where the bureaucracy comes in. It is just as bad in peace time as in war. I have had to deal with it.

[jr12866]

Part 2

This being said - I think that when it is so blatantly obvious that someone is disabled, there is no excuse for the hold up. The problem with something like PTSD is that it is one diagnosis that seems to be a catch all for "I don''t know what is wrong." My ex-wife was diagnosed with it - due to a divorce she wanted. She played the system.

I wish all the soldiers the best of luck with their claims. I hope they get what is coming to them. Baileysmom -- the payment will be made from the date that the claim was filed - they do pay back pay to that date. Good luck to you and your family.

[acolton1]

PTSD is real. One of my friends from high school went into the Army and was in the first gulf war and he seemed ok after it was all over. I saw him again during christmas and he has spent 2 deployments in Iraq. I asked him some personal questions about what was going on over there and what he has done. He has been in some pretty intense fire fights and seen people die and I think he has shot a few insurgents in Iraq, that was my impression. He has nothing nice to say about President Bush and the current administration. He says the people over in Iraq truely hate each other to the core and he believes that only by splitting the country into thirds will solve the problem and dividing up the oil revenue in 1/3 will work. He says the dont want to get along and just wish the other side would all just die and go away. He is not the same person I knew in High School and he is extreamly angry inside and says he cant sleep and is untrusting much more now then he ever was. He has gone back for a 3rd deployment and says next time he comes home he WILL NOT GO BACK and does not care about any of the consequences that may happen. I told him I will always support him and if he need help or to talk I will be there one phone call away or by his side. I have known him since 2nd grade and think and pray for him ever day.

[jegibbons]

I am a Viet Nam Combat Veteran.
The PTSD I suffer, if any, is from all the do-gooder, propagandists on the left who don''t give a real care for a single man or women in uniform, its all rhetoric. Go pay a visit to a VA Hospital.

Those WHO THEMSELVES have NEVER SERVED but who continually spew HYPOCRISY as if these soldiers were THEIR FIRST priority when in TRUTH given the opportiunity to serve they did and would flee.

I feel for these soldiers. I was one. Let us take care of our own.

The rest of you PHONIES should go back and hunker down in your doomsday shelters.

[acolton1]

To: demslie at 08:24 AM : Apr 18, 2008.

You are a complete IDIOT, IDIOT, IDIOT! Wake up and smell the coffee the REPUBLICANS started this war and George W Bush single handedly has Started this Recession and has spent more than 1/2 a trillion dollars on this war and has driven the us currency to its lowest value in history. IT''S A REPUBLICAN AGENDA and there was no strategy in getting out of IRAQ. What was George W Bush thinking that he would bet a parade in Bagdad with roses on the street for over throwing Saddam Hussein and everybody would get along MAGICALLY AFTER THE WAR. You and George W Bush need to go back to the GROUP HOME where you both came from and grow a brain. Democratic evil political Agenda your an IDIOT!

[emancipatedm]

DEMSLIE:

1) EDUCATE YOURSELF.

2) NO ONE SAID IT WAS AN MEB. In the military, PURSUANT TO DOD (that would be Department of Defense) regulation, it is SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE SERVICE MEMBER''S COMMANDER to decide HOW TO SEPARATE the service member--EVEN WHEN THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION from medical doctors, including psychiatrist, for medical or mental health care. Granted, it can be appealed later, but at the time, it is TOTALLY within the commander''s discretion.

Under the DoD regs, the Commander essentially "owns" the soldier.

Like Carissa, I am an attorney, a milspouse, and a veterans advocate.

Unlike you, obviously, I DEAL WITH THESE REGULATIONS on a regular basis.

3) Lastly, combat medics travel with EVERY infantry unit in Iraq. He was a COMBAT medic. COmbat medics are some of the most traumatized soldiers/marines that return from OIF/OEF because of what they see.

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON"T LIKE IT DOESN"T MAKE IT A LIE.

[acolton1]

Just checking replys

[jegibbons]

Posted by rafterman1 at 09:43 AM : Apr 18, 2008
Why doesn''t it surprise me that A TWISTED MIND can TWIST WORDS & THEIR INTENT?

[tanna4676]

This is my first time responding to this site. I am very disappointed in many of the comments made in this forum. I came to this site looking for help, and I see a lot of bashing of our troops. My son served with the guards in Iraq in 2003 and is suffering with PTSD. I thought I could find some help for him here, but so far that hasn''t been the case. I would like to make a comment though to the people that are saying that our soldiers have volunteered and knew what they were getting into. That is true, and but for them, there may have been a draft and then maybe you would have to have gone, and then you could have seen what they have gone through. Also, is it true that the only help for PTSD is drugs? There has to be a better solution to this issue.

[exaag]

Having worked with psychiatrists and psychologists over a 25 year career as a prosecutor, I am more than awareof their tendency to "over-diagnose" PTSD and other alleged mental disorders that are not subject to empirical evidence, particularly when an agenda is involved such as the anti-capital punishment movement or, in this case, the anti-war movement. The radical left has been frustrated throughout the war in Iraq because "word from the top" was that the left was to repeat the mantra "we support the troops", thereby depriving the left of its chance to spit on our soldiers in airports and engage in their 1960''s childish rants. As a "Nam vet, I recall our soldiers being portrayed as a bunch of drug-addicted psychopaths, while traitors like JohnKerry told the Congress we were a bunch of baby killers. With this report, the liberasls, courtesy (of course) of the Democratic Party television networks, now have their opening to engage in back-door slander of the troops while appearing "concerned".

[macusweil]

The commander in chief is a incompletant but should still stand trial.

What a disgrace!! 40,000 Americans dead or wounded and countless more with PTSD left to rot in mold infested VA hospitals or worse denied treatment at all.

Shame on us for not ending this insane occupation already. How many more must fall for nothing?

[missingamerica]

Having worked with psychiatrists and psychologists over a 25 year career as a prosecutor....

Posted by exaag at 10:03 AM : Apr 18, 2008

I bet you''re a great prosecutor. Here''s hoping you have an equally skilled defense attorney at St. Peter''s Gate.

[adriennej76]

For the users who called this story "pure bunk" and "lies":

1. Soldiers injured on active duty are eligible for military medical benefits, separate from the VA, which the military controls.

2. An Army task force recently told VA workers near Fort Drum that they aren%u2019t allowed to help soldiers figure out how to fill out their paperwork. Here''s the memo: http://media.npr.org/documents/2008/feb/ftdrum.pdf

3. The VA treats veterans with PTSD every day, but there is currently a backlog of 600,000 claims leaving all of those veterans in limbo. I should know, I work in the VA.

4. I served in the Army for ten years and now see many of my friends suffering from PTSD. Our soldiers put their lives on the line thinking the government means it when it says they will be taken care of. When soldiers see the reality it can be very hard to handle and if I were in that situation I%u2019d probably start drinking too.

5. You must not have served if you don''t know that medics see combat.

6. Commanders do have the authority to override medical decisions and even medical boards. You can check out www.military.com for stories on that one.

7. It%u2019s been my experience that the sooner a soldier experiencing problems getting medical help goes public, the quicker the military is to start doing right by them. Don%u2019t be afraid to stand up for yourselves. If you need help, check out http://veteransforamerica.org/.

peace,
Adrienne

[llbear1009]

I''m a Veteran who has been helping Jonathan Norrell and brought his case to Carissa Piccard & Kim Dozier. When I 1st heard details - many of the most agregious cut from the story because of time constaints - I couldn''t believe it. Jonathan is an extraordinary human being. His whole focus in getting this story out has been to make sure that others [and there are lots of other soldiers going through the same thing] are not left behind.

I hope that Kim is given the opportunity to follow Jon in the months and years to come. I plan to. I want to thank CBS for its commitment in terms of time and money required to produce this story.

I hope this is just Chapter 1.

Thank you, Carissa & Liz. Because you care, you rock!

[starleo146]

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Posted by gammap at 10:01 AM : Apr 18, 2008
+ report abuse

I appreciated your comment,, and to me it is a shame you have to say these things to an American public who seem to want the best for our veterans. This should be automatic, when these combat veterans lay there life and limb down for all Americans nothing should short change these brave troops, They are being short changed and it is appalling to me.It is your commander in chief your representatives that make the laws, and injuries are there last resort to give, and It Makes Me Sick Every American should write to these fat cats in Wash d.c. and remind them how they got there who is paying there salaries and they can be and will be replaced. We are tired of writing over and over again to protect these combat veterans with every means at our disposal. They Don"t get it